Telegraphic transmitting apparatus



. 1,639,212 Allg- F. G. cREED TELEGRAPHIC TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1 Aug 1927 F. G. CREED TELEGRAPHIC TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1,639,212 Aug. I 16, F. G c ED TELEGRAPHIC TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 16, 1927. ,2

F. G. CREED TELEGRAPHIC TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

. FREDERICK GEORGE CREED, OI CROYDON, ENGLAND.

TELEGBAPHIC TRANSMITTING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 25, 1924, Serial No. 745,934, and in Great Britain November 5, 1928.

This invention has reference to telegraphic transmitting apparatus adapted to work according to the five or other multiple unit system on the start and stop method.

6 In telegraphic transmitters as heretofore constructed comprising a series of notched combination bars selectively controlled by a bank of key levers, the bars have been moved endways by the key levers for effecting and 1 controlling electric circuits and other devices. 1.

The present invention has for its object to enable the required endways movement of combination bars to control electric-circuits to be effected by power derived from sources independent of the movement of the key levers so as to enable the latter levers to be operated more easily than heretofore. It also has for its object to reduce the number of circuit making and breaking devices used in such transmitter, as compared with known construction of transmitters. It also has for its object to simplify the construction, to improve the working and increase the efliciency of transmitters of the kind referred to.

For these purposes telegraph transmitting apparatus is constructed as will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. y

In these drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 an end View and Fig. 4 a cross section corresponding to'the line IV-IV of Fig. 2, showing one construction of telegraphic transmitting apparatus according to the invention. Figs. 5 and 6 show respectively in end elevation and plan,

a portion of the transmitter to a larger scale than Figs. 1 to 4, Figs. 7 and 8 show respectively in side elevation and plan, one of the combination bars used in the transmitting apparatus. Figs. 9 and 10.are elevations at right angles to one another, showing a set of stationary contacts. Fig. 11 is a detail View showing partly in end elevation and partly in cross section, a rotary sleeve. Fig. 12 is a wiring diagram.

In the example shown, the telegraphic transmitting apparatus (hereinafter called for brevity the transmitter) comprisesfive combination bars (1 arranged horizontally and parallel to one another in a suitable frame or support I) and each connected to a spring a that tends to move it forward that is to' say to the left in Figs. 1 and 2. Normally, each of the combination bars is held n a backward position, against the action of 1ts spring 0, by a movable retracting bar (1 (Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6) common to all the bars and normally bearing against a projection (1 (Figs. 7 and 8) on each bar. Arranged opposite the forward end of each combination bar 0 is an insulated movable lever or spring blade 6 e c 6 or e (Figs. 1 and 2) carrying at its free end a movable contact f arranged between two stationary contacts g and 72, connected to the positive and negative poles of an electric battery c (Fig. 12) the middle point of which is connected to earth'E, each of the movable contacts normally bearing against one of the fixed contacts, say for example, the negative one 9, under the action of a spring 70 (Fig. 1). Extending fhorizontally across and at rightangles to the combination bars, but normally above and out of contactwith them, is a series of vertically movable horizontal bars m provided with keys n, the keys bein arranged to form a key board of ordinary 'nd and corresponding to the letters and to a space, or two spaces, to be transmitted as signals. n 41 (Figs. 1 and 2) are the keys for two space key bars m. Each key bar m is carried by a parallel motion arrangement comprising for example a vertical rod ofixed to the key bar and carried by one arm of a leve r the other arm of which is connected to spring 3 that serves normally to hold the key bar in its uppermost inoperative position, the bar working in guides t, t and t 1' is a plate that serves as the fulcrum for the levers 1'. The upward movement of the rods 0 and key bars m is limited by a stop at. Arranged adjacent to the combination bars is a spindle c, that is adapted to beconstantly rotated from a motor, for instance an electric motor, when the transmitter is in use and which is provided with an annular set of ratchet teeth w (Fig. 4) forming what is hereinafter called the ratchet wheel w. Freely mounted up the spindle o is a rotary sleeve 00 provided with a spindle m carrying at its free end an insulated rotary brush contact 3 arranged to sweep over the face of a stationary plate or support a (Figs. 1, 9 and 10) of insulating material carrying seven stationarycontacts P, 1, 2, 3,-4, 5. and N arranged in a circle, and a central contact g Contacts P and N (Figs. 9, 10 and 12) are connected to the positive and negative poles of the battery 2' (Fig. 12) by conductions P and N whilst contacts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are electrically connected through conductors 1, 2 3 4* and 5 and connecting springs 1 2 3 4 5 and 6 to the five spring levers e e e 6", e carrying the movable contacts f, the several stationary contacts 1 to 5, P and N being spaced apart egixially and insulated from one another. T e rotary brush contact '3 is connected to a central rotary contact 3 that constantly bears on the central stationary contact 3 which is connected by a conductor 3 to a telegraph line wire L. The contact y normally rests against the last stationary contact N of the series which, as above stated, is connected to the negative pole of the battery i by the conductor N so that the line Wire L is normally connected through the conductor 3 stationary contact 3 and rotary contacts 3 and 3/ to the negative pole of the battery. The said sleeve :2: also carries, at its opposite end, a spring actuated pawl 6 which is normally held" out of gear with the ratchet wheel to on the spindle 'v by one arm 7 (Figs. 4 and 5) of a spring controlled bell crank lever 7, 7, (hereinafter called for distinction the pawl releasing lever) which is adapted to be moved by controlling mechanism, into a position to release the pawl 6 and permit the same to engage, under the action of a spring 6, the ratchet wheel 'w and be,rotated thereby together with the sleeve m, through one revolution and then to disengage the pawl from the ratchet wheel, each time a key or space bar m is depressed. The controlling mechanism may conveniently comprise a lifting bar 8 held against the sleeve w by a spring 9 and adapted, when raised, to engage, by means of a shoulder 8-thereon, one arm 7 of the pawl releasing lever so as to lift such arm and thereby disengage the other arm 7 of the lever from a projection 6 on the pawl 6. The lifting bar 8 is connected to one arm 10 of another bell crank lever mounted on a spindle 11 and the other arm 10 of which is connected by a link 12 to one arm 13 of a third bell crank lever the other arm 13 of which is constituted by a horizontal plate arranged below the lower ends of the series of vertically movable guide rods 0 connected to the key and space bars m. On the sleeve :20 is an eccentric portion m (Fig. 11), that acts to disengage the lifting bar 8 from the pawl releasing lever 7, 7 shortly after this lever has released the pawl 6, in order to permit the said lever to return immediately to its normal position ready to disengage the pawl 6 from the ratchet wheel w when the pawl and sleeves have made one revolution. In the sleeve :2: there is a cam groove 14 (Figs. 2 and 6) which engages one arm d of a lever, preferably through a roller, and the other arm d of which forms the aforesaid retracting bar which is adapted by the cam to be moved towards and from the projections a on the several combination bars a.

The arrangement is such that normally,

the combination bars a are held in their downwards across the combination bars a so as to hold one or more of these bars endways and permit others, when released by the re 'tracting bar (Z, to be moved forward by their springs 0, depending upon the particular letter key, or the space key, depressed. Or one key barm may act to hold all the combination bars endways and another one to release all the combination bars. When a key bar m is depressed and prevents forward movement of a combination bar or bars a, it is held in its depressed position by lateral pressure thereon of the bar or bars under the action of its spring or their springs c. The depression of the key bar or space bar also moves the pawl releasing lever 7, 7 through the rod 0, bell crank lever 13,13 and connected mechanism into a position to release the pawl 6 and enable it, under the action of its spring 6, to engage the ratchet wheel w on the spindle o and rotate the sleeve :0 through one revolution. At the commencement of such revolution, the cam groove 14 on the sleeve causes the lever d engaged therewith to move the retracting bar (1 into its inoperative position and leave the combination bars a free to adjust themselves to suit the particular letter signals, or the space signals, to be transmitted. Consequently the movable contacts 7 corresponding to the combination bars a that are released,,that is to say, which are not held endways by the particular key bar m that has been de pressed, are moved forward by the released combination bars a, under the action of their bar m will remain in contact with the stationary negative contact g.

As a consequence, the five stationary contacts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 arranged between the first and last contacts P and N will be correspondingly rendered positive and negative according to (Figs. 2 and 12) to the combined receiver and printer at the second station,first a starting signal, namely a positive signal, then the required positive and negative signals, five in number, corresponding to the letter or the space to be transmitted, and

then a stopping signal which, in the example,'will be a negative one. Shortly after the sleeve a; has commenced to rotate, the cam projection m thereon will act to move the lifting bar 8 from the pawl releasing lever 'Z, 7 a so as to permit this lever at once to return to its operative position under the action of its spring 7 Just before the sleeve completes its rotation, the cam groove 14 therein causes the retracting bar (Z to move the combination bars a which were previously released, back into their original positions against the action of their springs 0, thereby releasing the depressed key bar or space bar m and allowing it to rise, and the pawl releasing lever 7, 7 a will act to disengage the pawl from the toothed wheel to on the spindle v, the rotary brush y being brought to rest in its original position, in which it bears on the last stationary contact of the series, namely the negative contact N, the transmission of the starting signal, the signals representing a letter or a space, and the stopping signal having then been completed. Means, as for example a roller 15 carried by a lever arm 16 acted upon by a spring 17 and engagirig a notch in the sleeve :11 may be provided to\prevent backward or forward movement of the sleeve when disengaged from the driving spindle 'v.

The details of construction can be variously modified to suit requirements.

What I claim is 1. In a telegraph transmitter, notched combination bars, key levers adapted, on operation, to hold said bars in a selective manner according to the signal to be transmitted but not to operate said bars, a bar holding and releasing device adaptedto hold said bars in normal endways position preparatory to operation of a key lever and afterwards to release said bars, means for actuating said bar holding and releasing means, springs each adapted to move endways a bar not held by a key lever and electric circuit controlling means dependent for operation upon the position of said bars.

2. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination of notched combination bars, springs for moving said bars, when free, endways, holding and releasing means adapted in one position to hold said bars in one position against the action of their springs, andwhen in another position to release said bars, means for moving said bar holding and releasing means into bar holding and releasing positions alternately, key board mechanism adapted, when operated, selectively to control the endways movement of said bars by their springs and to bring about the movement of said holding and releasing means into a position to release said bars and electric circuit connections adapted to be controlled by said bars.

8. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination of notched combination bars, springs adapted to move said bars,'when free, endways, holding and releasing means adapted in one position to hold said bars against theaction of their springs and in another position to release'said bars, motor operated means for moving said holding andreleasing means alternately into operative and 1noperative positions, key-board mechanism capable, when operated, of selectively locking one or more of said bars endways before being released by said holding and releasing means and to cause the motor operated means first to move said holding and releasing means into a position to release said combination bars, and after transmission of a signal, to return any displaced bars to normal positions, and electrical connections controlled by said bars.

4. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination of notched combination bars, springs adapted to move said bars, when free, endways, holding and releasing means adapted in one position to hold said bars against the action of their springs and in another position to release said bars, motor operated means for moving said holding and releasing means alternately into operative and inoperative positions, key-board mechanism capable, when operated, of selectively lockingone or more of said bars endways before being released by said holding and releasing means and to cause the motor operated means to move said holding and releasing means into a position to release said combination bars, and electric circuit controlling means adapted for selective action under the control of said bars.

5. In a-telegraph transmitter, the combination of notched combination bars, springs adapted to move said bars, when free, endways, holding and releasing means adapted in one position to hold said bars against the action of said springs and in another position to release said bars. motor operated means for moving said holding and releasing means alternately into operative and inated means for operating said actuating means, key board mechanism adapted to control the endways movement of said bars but not to actuate said bars and to bring the said actuating means into operation to cause release of said bars, and electric signalling means adapted to act in a selective manner dependent upon the relative posi-- tionof said bars after actuation of said key board mechanism.

7. In a telegraph transmitter, a series of notched combination bars, springs adapted to move said bars, when free, endways, bar holding and releasing means, actuating means adapted to move said holding and releasing means alternately into a position to hold said bars in normal endways position against the action of their springs and into a position to release said bars, motor operated means for operating said actuating means, key board mechanism adapted to control the endways movement of the said bars but not to actuate said bars and to bring said actuating means into operation to cause release of said bars, and electric circuit making and breaking'devices adapted to be operated by endways movement of said bars.

8. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination of notched combination bars, springs adapted to move said bars, when free, endways, holding and releasing means adapted in one position to hold said bars against the action of their springs and in another position'to release said bars, motor operated means for moving said holding and releasing means alternately into operative and inoperative positions, key board mechanismcapable, when operated, of selectively locking one or more of said bars endways before being released by said holding and releasing means and to cause the motor operated means first to move said holding and releasing means into a position to release said combination bars and after transmission of a signal to return any displaced bars to normal position, and a series of movable electric circuit controlling devices adapted to be connected to the positive or negative poles of a source of electric energy in a selective manner dependent on the selective release of said combination bars under the control of said key mechanism.

9. An electric signal transmitter comprismg a ser1es of notched combination bars each haying a spring adapted to move it,

when free, endways, a holding and releasing device adapted in one position to hold transmitting electric signals to a distant station, circuit controlling means associated with the stationary contacts of the signal distributor and adapted by endways movement of said combination bars to connect said stationary contacts in a selective manner to the positive and negative poles of a source of electric current, normally stationary rotary actuating means adapted to actuate the bar holding and releasing device alternately in opposite directions and to rotate the movable contact of said signal distributor, a normally moving driving member for said actuating means and mechanism adapted when actuated to cause said actuating means to be connected to said driving member and to automatically disconnect it from such member when it has made one revolution, and means adapted to actuate said mechanism each time a key lever is operated.

10. A keyboard transmitter, comprising a series of combination bars, springs each adapted to move one of said bars, when free, endways, a rotary driving member adapted to be constantly rotated by a motor when the transmitter is in use, a rotary body adapted to be rotated from said rotary member, a clutch device between said rotary member and rotary body, clutch controlling mechanism adapted, when operated, to enable the rotary body to be driven from said driving member and to make one revolution only and then automatically to disconnect the rotary body from the driving member, a bar holding and releasin device arranged to be actuated from sai rotary body and adapted when moved thereby in one direction to engage and hold said bars endways in normal position against the action of their springs and when moved in the opposite direction to release said bars, a signal distributing de vice comprising a series of stationary insulated contacts and a rotary contact adapted to be connected to one end of an electric circuit and arranged to be driven by said rotary body and to move over said stationary contacts, contact bars adapted to be connected to v the positive and negative poles respectively.

of a battery an intermediate point of which is adapted to be connected to the other end ,of the electric circuit, movable contacts atranged between said contact barsand normally bearing against one of them, sald movable contacts bemg each connected to one of said stationary contacts, and adapted to be moved from its normal position into contact with the opposite contact bar by endways movement of a corresponding combination bar and key operated mechanism adapted when operated," to hold one or more of said combination bars,-or none of them, according #to the signal to be transmitted, and to operate said clutch device and ermit saidrotary action of their springs, and afterwards torelease all the bars, key levers each adapted when operated to holdone or more of said bars in its or their normal position, according to the signal to be transmitted, but not to move said bar or bars, circuit controlling means adapted to be controlled by said bars,

a signal transmitter comprising stationar contacts arranged to be connected to the postive and ne ativepoles of an electric generator by said circuit controlling means, and a rotary contact, a rotary driving member, a rotary body adapted to rotate the rotary contact, a cam driven by said rotary body and adapted to move the bar holding and releasing device into its operative and ino erative positions, a clutch device adapte to connect said rotary body to said drivin member, mechanism adapted, when actuate to cause said clutc'h device to connect said rotary body to said driving member, and automatically to disconnect said rotary body from the driving member at the end of one revolution, and means adapted to actuate said1 mechanism each time akey lever is operate 12. A multiple'unit-telegraph transmitter designed to work on the start and stop bars, springs each adapted to move one of said bars, when free, endways, a bar holding and releasing device adapted to move displaced bars'into normal position against the action of their springs and afterwards to release all of the bars, key levers each adapted when operated to hold one or more of said bars in normal positions according to the signal to be transmitted but not to move said bar or bars, a signal transmitter comprising an annular series of stationary insulated contacts and a rotary contact adapted to be connected to one end of a signal transmitting circuit, two stationary contact plates adapted to be connected to the positive and negative poles respectively of an electric battery connected"at an intermediate. point to the other end of said signal transmitting circuit, the first of said stationary contacts being connected to the negative contact plate and the last of said stationary contacts to the positive contact plate, a series of movable contactsconnected successively to the remaining stationary contacts of the signal transmitter,

arranged between the contact plates, normally bearing against the negative contact plate and adapted to be moved by endways movement of a corresponding combination bar from said negative contact plate into contact with the positive contact plate, and meansadapted, on operation of a ey bar, to

move the holding and releasing devlce from the combination bars and to rotate said rotary contact over the stationary. contacts from the negative one to the positive one and tooause the holding and releasing device to return any displaced combination bars to normal position and then come to-rest at the end of one revolution of the rotary 'd C d s E 1 a igne at my on, urre 11 an this fifteenth day of October, 13 24. g

FREDERlCK GEORGE OREED.

method, comprising notched combination 

